Cheyenne Firefighters Negotiate 2% Raise

After weeks of negotiations, Cheyenne Firefighters and the City have agreed to a one year contract with a two percent base pay increase.

As you may recall, the City took $312,415 out of general reserves in June to fund a 2.5 percent pay raise for the City's 375 non-uniformed employees.

"I'm very concerned about the City's financial picture moving forward," Mayor Marion Orr said during the negotations. "I have asked all City departments to provide me with flat, or better yet, reduced budgets for the next fiscal year."

Orr also expressed concerns about fire department overtime costs, which are projected to exceed $500,000 this year alone.

"I don’t want what has previously occurred, the department seeking additional overtime funding because it spent its budgeted overtime in the first four months," said Orr. "That's not good management."

I.A.F.F. Local 279 representatives agreed with Orr, and pledged to work with the City to reign in overtime costs.

"We look forward to a mutual effort in moving forward with the City," said Union President John Bertsch. "Most importantly, we love serving this City 24 hours a day with the best service available."